Clare takes JPC lead with 21-20 OT win

Published 8:00 pm, Friday, September 21, 2007

The Pioneers got the ball first in overtime and scored on a fourth-down 5-yard pass from Nick Wyman to Steven Spranger. Tom Claringbold kicked the last of his three extra points for the winning margin.

The Bobcats responded by scoring on a 9-yard run by Jacob Cooley. Houghton Lake then faked the extra point kick and attempted to pass for a 2-point conversion, but the pass fell incomplete.

"We made plays when we had to make plays," said Clare coach Doug Haggart. "We knew they were going to fake the kick, and we got pressure up the middle."

The Bobcats missed a 32-yard field goal at the end of regulation that would have won the game.

Wyman ran 45 yards for a touchdown on Clares opening drive as the Pioneers opened up a 7-0 lead. Cooley returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown, and the 2-point conversion put the Bobcats up 8-7.

With 1:55 left in he second quarter, Cooley scored on a 20-yard run to give the Bobcats a 14-7 lead.

Clare responded immediately as Wyman passed 28 yards to Jordan McConnell to tie the score at 14-14 with 55 seconds left in the half.

Wyman was 10 of 14 passing for 151 yards, two TDs and an interception. McConnell caught five passes for 82 yards, while Ryan Sersaw added four receptions for 64 yards.

Spranger led the Pioneers defense with 18 tackles, while Mike Schalk and Jeremy Crafard added 11 and 10 tackles, respectively.